Double Vision
by magickmoons
Summary: It's a milk run mission soon after Daniel has returned from his Ascension. So why is he so edgy? * Written as a birthday present for ivorygates, who prompted: cold, unexpected, deja vu. * Gen, Team


**Double Vision**

**Genre:** Gen  
**Rating:** PG  
**Characters:** Daniel, Sam, Teal'c, Jack  
**Prompt:** Written as a birthday present for ivorygates, who prompted: cold, unexpected, deja vu. Ship, slash, or gen, dealer's choice.  
**Summary:** It's a milk run mission soon after Daniel has returned from his Ascension. So why is he so edgy?

* * *

**Double Vision**

Daniel sighed as he tried to huddle even deeper into his parka. The wind on this planet, added to the near-freezing temperatures, was making the 'short hike from the gate' more like a visit to the ninth circle of hell. He tried not to resent the fact that he seemed to be the only one who had a problem with the weather. Jack looked like he was one minute away from starting a snowball fight, Sam was excited by the potential new energy source and entranced by the beautiful scenery, and Teal'c was exuding the quiet calm of a content Jaffa.

Another gust of wind took his breath away. When he could speak, he growled, "Sam, you're sure that this is worth it?"

From the corner of his eye, Daniel saw her flinch at his irritated tone, and made a promise to himself to make it up to her once they got back to the SGC. He knew he was behaving irrationally, and, as far as his limited memories informed him, uncharacteristically; he just didn't know why. All he could say was that this mission had put him on edge, even before they had stepped through the gate.

"Well, I can't be positive exactly what it is, but the UAV registered some energy readings that were unlike anything we've ever seen before, not too far from a pretty substantial vein of naquadah. It presents some exciting possibilities." Sam's usual excitement was somewhat toned down at having to explain herself to Daniel.

Jack looked back. "For crying out loud, Daniel. It's a little chilly. So what?"

Daniel answered Jack's scowl with one of his own, but kept quiet. Since his return, he and Jack had naturally fallen back into their pattern of bickering over inconsequential things, but this felt like something else, and Daniel didn't trust himself not to take it to another level. Besides, he was pretty sure that he was in the wrong in this particular instance.

Satisfied that he'd quelled Daniel's grousing for the moment, Jack turned around and kept walking. Feeling guiltier by the minute as Sam kept shooting worried looks his way, Daniel gradually dropped back to walk alongside Teal'c.

It really was beautiful here: trees that would put redwoods to shame towered above them, their foliage a reddish green mix that was made all the more striking by the sparkling snow that clung to the branches. A mountain range could be seen in the distance. Some fifty yards or so alongside the path they were following was a swiftly flowing river, its sound crisp and clear in the still air.

"Teal'c, have we ever been here before?"

"We have not, Daniel Jackson."

Daniel nodded. His memories seemed to be almost completely restored, and he was certain they hadn't come here before. Teal'c confirmed it. Hell, the mission plan confirmed it. But he still couldn't shake a sense of eerie familiarity.

Teal'c suggested, "Something is bothering you."

"It's probably nothing. Just a weird feeling. Everything seems so familiar, but at the same time, not." He shrugged and repeated, "It's probably nothing."

Teal'c inclined his head in acknowledgement, but let the subject drop.

The farther they walked, the more Daniel's discomfort grew to anxiety, then to a certainty that something was wrong. He found himself continually looking around for the source of his disquiet, jumping at every sound.

Eventually Sam, eyes now glued to her portable monitor, slowed, then came to a stop. "It's nearby," she said, sweeping the monitor around in an arc. "There," she said with satisfaction. She started off the path toward the river.

Daniel's panic spiked. He could barely breathe as he watched Teal'c follow Sam, with one last concerned glance at Daniel. Jack was setting up the small campfire that would keep them warm now that they weren't walking anymore.

"Something's wrong," Daniel muttered, his eyes sweeping between his teammates, the trees, the river. For a second, everything was doubled, one image dizzylingly off-center from the other. He'd been here before. He'd been _now_ before; he was certain of it.

As certain as he was that this did not end well.

Daniel stood as still as possible, closed his eyes, trying to pinpoint it, to feel it, to know what what was wrong here. It hurt, trying to chase it down. Then suddenly, the scene was playing out in his mind, slow and grainy, like some old movie he'd forgotten he'd once seen.

_He was watching, somewhere else, when the ground gave way beneath Sam's feet. Her startled look came into sharp focus, like a camera had zoomed in on her face. He didn't feel Teal'c pass him, but there he was, grabbing for her arm, her hand as she slid down the sudden slope toward the icy river. Mute himself, Daniel could hear the shouts, Jack's and Teal'c's voices overlapping as they sprinted downriver, in a futile attempt to outpace the current, fumbling for rope in their packs, scanning for accessible branches. He watched as they ran and ran, long after Sam had disappeared from sight, their breaths coming ragged and painful when they finally collapsed on the snowy bank, staring bleakly at each other._

"Sam, stop!" Daniel yelled. He had no idea how long he had been thinking / dreaming / remembering. It felt like minutes - surely too long for his warning to do any good. His heart was breaking when he forced himself to open his eyes.

He felt Jack come alert, changing from camp counselor to colonel in an instant, moving toward Sam and Teal'c. He saw Sam only a step or two beyond where she had been, but too close, momentum carrying her weight forward even as she turned her head, a question in her eyes. He watched her wobble as the ground under one foot started to dissolve, saw Teal'c's strong arms wrap around her as he threw his weight backwards. The double vision disappeared as they landed outside the danger zone, Sam still pulled in close, both breathing heavily. Daniel finally broke from his stasis when he saw Jack approaching, quickly and carefully, and together they helped their teammates to their feet and back toward the path.

All safe.

Later, when they were gathered around the campfire, sharing Daniel's emergency stash of chocolate and generally regrouping, Sam turned to Daniel and asked, "How did you know?"

Then there were three pairs of eyes looking at him, expressions ranging from scientifically curious to calmly assessing. He put his hands up and shrugged. "I really don't know. It was like a memory that was unfolding just before it happened."

"Like your concept of deja vu," Teal'c suggested.

"Only it really happened," Sam interjected, looking thoughtful.

Daniel shrugged again, a little uncomfortable being the center of the entire team's attention. "I guess so."

Sam's eyes shifted to look past him at the river, and she shivered. "Whatever it was, thank you."

Despite being shaken up, Sam had recovered enough to insist on staying and collecting her data when Jack brought up just heading back to the gate. She and Teal'c made their way cautiously to an appropriate spot. Even with the feelings of foreboding gone, Daniel couldn't take his eyes off them until he was sure there wasn't going to be a reprise of the earlier near-disaster.

Jack stood beside him, watching as well, his concern matching Daniel's. They stayed silent until Sam was situated, happily sorting through her equipment as she pulled soil samples and took readings.

"So you okay now?" Jack asked.

Daniel winced, thinking of his earlier behavior. It made sense now, but he still felt a tinge (or more) of embarrassment.

"Yeah, I'm sorry about that. I should have handled it better."

Jack's hand on his shoulder made him look over to see concern still present in Jack's expression, only it wasn't just for Sam.

"That's not what I'm talking about. Are _you_ okay?"

"I'm fine. You don't need to worry." Daniel didn't really want to delve too far into what had just happened.

"'Don't need to worry'," Jack repeated with an unhappy laugh. "Daniel, this little blip in your memory has ascended fingerprints all over it. And I don't know about you, but I still have an issue or ten with their methods. So yeah, I'm gonna worry until I'm sure they've given up on using you as their personal playground."

"Is this professional or personal worry?" Daniel asked. He was still having a bit of trouble finding where Jack drew the line. Sometimes it was very obvious; but the line was often very blurry in Daniel's opinion.

Jack pursed his lips, then answered, "Both."

Daniel nodded. "For what it's worth, it didn't feel like anybody else was in my head. Maybe I just noticed something subconsciously when we were walking and extrapolated the danger."

"Maybe."

Daniel rolled his eyes. He did remember Jack's _I'm humoring you, not agreeing with you_ tone.

"Or maybe it was you," Jack suggested. "Ascended, glowy you, somehow..."

It was Daniel's turn to be doubtful. "Jack, there's no proof we know of that being ascended means you can see the future. Plus, the Others did a pretty thorough job of stripping my memories. For all the memories I've regained, there's been nothing from when I was ascended."

Jack turned back to look toward Sam and Teal'c. "Yeah, well, I know you, Daniel. When it's important, you always seem to find a way."

"I do?"

"You do." Jack's certainty was absolute.

"Well, okay then." He joined Jack in watching their teammates. They'd probably never know the actual answer, but Daniel thought he might be okay with that. Because the upshot of it all was Sam kneeling in the snow, laughing at something Teal'c said, Jack shivering _(Ha!)_ as another gust of wind came up. And Daniel standing there, with them, and a part of them.


End file.
